Question military spouse

Hi so my husband will be deploying for 7 months and then we might be heading overseas on PCS orders. I know that people have finished the excelsior program rather quickly and I'm just wanting to hear from people that finished quickly and passed the NCLEX-RN.. My goal would be to move over seas as an RN so that I can find good work and not have to put my career on hold!

Your best bet would be to apply to EC and see how many courses you'd need to graduate besides the nursing exams, the FCCA, and the CPNE. There is a wait for the CPNE, usually 3 to 6 months, and the FCCA takes two months to complete. Finishing in 7 months would take a lot of effort.

Also, I suggest you visit the Government/Military Nursing forum - there are very few jobs for experienced RNs who are overseas as family members, let alone jobs for new grads. I don't mean to be negative, but I just want you to be aware of the realities. Best of luck!

Feb 8, '13

I am also a military spouse and also GS employee too as an LPN. If u have a lot of classes u still need u would be cutting it close. just so u know u can use the post 9-11 gi bill here and receive book stipen with every exam.

Feb 8, '13

Thanks for the info guys.. I have all the prerequisite classes except for that info literacy and I'm taking micro right now but I'll be done with it in May... I test for my LPN on the 14th of this month... Which I'm super anxious about! However, I think if we get orders overseas I'll be more employable with an RN verses an LPN! On a side note I heard that info literacy class is given by penn foster for only $80, and it transfers to Excelsior!?

Your best bet would be to apply to EC and see how many courses you'd need to graduate besides the nursing exams, the FCCA, and the CPNE. There is a wait for the CPNE, usually 3 to 6 months, and the FCCA takes two months to complete. Finishing in 7 months would take a lot of effort.

Also, I suggest you visit the Government/Military Nursing forum - there are very few jobs for experienced RNs who are overseas as family members, let alone jobs for new grads. I don't mean to be negative, but I just want you to be aware of the realities. Best of luck!

Thanks LunahRN... I figured if I couldn't find a job at least I have my RN and I'm not putting my career on hold... However, I think as an RN it would be easier to find work than as an LPN!!
Thanks

Feb 9, '13

Getting a job overseas in a civilian hospital... Possible, but difficult. I would HIGHLY suggest trying to get on as a GS employee at a military hospital. There may be more opportunities depending on where your husband is stationed. Do you have any idea where he is going to be stationed? If it's Korea, Italy, Germany, or Japan do you speak any of the local languages... Let alone ready to take an NCLEX style test in their language? If in an English speaking country you might have an easier time, but if you're looking at excelsior make SURE that that it is acceptable for licensure there (hell, it's not even accepted in all states in the United States). Finally, are you sure you're going with him overseas? Depending on his rank and duty station that might not be an option for you, also consider if he goes unaccompanied the time he has to spend overseas is not as long as an accompanied tour. I say that because if you cannot get a job there you are basically looking at about 2 years where there is a very real possibility that you will not be able to practice at all and what that might mean for your job prospects when you return home.

Getting a job overseas in a civilian hospital... Possible, but difficult. I would HIGHLY suggest trying to get on as a GS employee at a military hospital. There may be more opportunities depending on where your husband is stationed. Do you have any idea where he is going to be stationed? If it's Korea, Italy, Germany, or Japan do you speak any of the local languages... Let alone ready to take an NCLEX style test in their language? If in an English speaking country you might have an easier time, but if you're looking at excelsior make SURE that that it is acceptable for licensure there (hell, it's not even accepted in all states in the United States). Finally, are you sure you're going with him overseas? Depending on his rank and duty station that might not be an option for you, also consider if he goes unaccompanied the time he has to spend overseas is not as long as an accompanied tour. I say that because if you cannot get a job there you are basically looking at about 2 years where there is a very real possibility that you will not be able to practice at all and what that might mean for your job prospects when you return home.

Good luck
/ Former military, now military spouse

Thanks for all the advise... I'm sure that if my husband PCSes that we will be going with him. There are only some bases where I can't go with him and most of those are considered remote tours.. Unfortunately we don't know where we might get stationed at, but I do know that excelsior is accepted by the federal government so if I find a job on base my license being from excelsior shouldn't be a problem. I don't speak any of those languages just Spanish... But I don't want to get mixed up into having to learn overseas protocols for nursing I rater keep it on American soil (base) if I can if not I would prob volunteer and continue my education (BSN) to not lose my touch while out of work

Thanks for the info guys.. I have all the prerequisite classes except for that info literacy and I'm taking micro right now but I'll be done with it in May... I test for my LPN on the 14th of this month... Which I'm super anxious about! However, I think if we get orders overseas I'll be more employable with an RN verses an LPN! On a side note I heard that info literacy class is given by penn foster for only $80, and it transfers to Excelsior!?

Really that must be new cause when I talked to them the other day they said as long as they were ACA accredited that they would accept them... Or something like that!

The accreditation is ACE, and Penn Foster's course has ACE accreditation; however, some students who recently tried to get pre-approval for Penn Foster's Info Lit were denied -- the advisor stated that it no longer met requirements. You can try, but I'd get that approval in writing before you do Penn Foster's course.

Feb 10, '13

Good luck because my husband got orders to Japan and I spent two years out of work. I have a degree in respiratory and MBA, both degrees did me no good there plus oversees GS jobs are difficult to get. Depending on where you are stationed and the need will determine if you find work. We are in Guam now and even though its a US territory I have to try to contract with the military hospital for a job....no GS positions. Anyway you go....when oversees, it will be tough.

The accreditation is ACE, and Penn Foster's course has ACE accreditation; however, some students who recently tried to get pre-approval for Penn Foster's Info Lit were denied -- the advisor stated that it no longer met requirements. You can try, but I'd get that approval in writing before you do Penn Foster's course.

Good luck because my husband got orders to Japan and I spent two years out of work. I have a degree in respiratory and MBA, both degrees did me no good there plus oversees GS jobs are difficult to get. Depending on where you are stationed and the need will determine if you find work. We are in Guam now and even though its a US territory I have to try to contract with the military hospital for a job....no GS positions. Anyway you go....when oversees, it will be tough.

Thanks I figured it would be hard... That's why either continuing my education and volunteer work would be my next option... I don't want to cripple my career but I don't want to limit my family either... I figure as long as I have my RN I can accomplish the rest over there (Wherever over there may be)! What branch is your husband? Guam was one of the stations my husband had avil. I feeling like if Obama wants to save money it'll be easier moving a single airman verses one with a family, so wit all this money crunching who knows"/